Tools and strategies for staying organized in college
A key part of being productive, getting things done, and taking care of your mental health is keeping yourself organized mentally, physically, and virtually. College (and high school!) can be a hectic time and proper organizational and time management skills go a long way.
Here are some ways to stay organized so you can be your best self.
Mentally
Journaling at the end of the day: literally putting your thoughts on paper/screen can help get them off your head, so you can process and reflect on the events of the day. Journaling at the end of the day can help you sleep better.
Writing a to do list at the beginning or end of the day: Writing down everything you have to do will help you remember all your tasks and stop being distracted by everything that you have to do.
Create a master to do list for every week, every month
Using a color coding system to separate different areas of your life
Personal
Classes
Internship/Volunteering
Online to do lists: Keep, Wunderlist, Todoist, Sticky app (on Mac and PC)
Get a to do app that’s compatible with your calendar/email platform (Keep for Google, Microsoft To Do for outlook, etc.)
Distraction journal -- Every time you get distracted by a thought or an urge to do something else (check your messages, check social media notifications, etc.), instead of doing it, write it down and come back to it later.
Virtually
Keep all your school/work documents and notes on one ONLINE platform so you can access it anywhere.
Free online platforms: Google Drive, Evernote, Microsoft Office
Organize your documents by categories & clearly name every document:
Example:
Main folder: School
Sub-folder: Spring 2021
Sociology
Midterm essay draft
Exam review
Notes
Psychology
Study guide
Notes
Main folder: Important Documents
Updated resume: Have a one page updated resume for sharing
Resume masterlist: A list of all your extracurricular activities and jobs and all the responsibilities you took on, for your use only. This will help you write your resume and remember what responsibilities you had in past positions.
Cover letter
Masterlist of all personal statements: A list of personal essays you have written for college and scholarship applications. This will help you write essays for other scholarships in the future.
Unofficial transcripts: Many programs and scholarships in college ask to see your transcripts, so keep them handy
Parents’ tax forms: Many programs and scholarships in college ask to see your parents’ tax, so keep them handy
Financial aid award/letter
Main folder: Extracurricular
Things to apply for
Club X
Outreach plan
Research position
Research proposal 1
Keep your tabs organized using Toby or other extensions
Have a folder for each class & extracurricular position
Have a folder for games, things to read, etc. on your down time
Have a folder for resumes, cover letters, transcripts, etc -- things you keep coming back to
Email
Once in college: Use your student email to contact people. It helps to have college affiliation!
Download app on your phone, sign in to all important email accounts, and turn on notifications.
Create categories for important emails so you don’t lose them
Use separate email for signing up for accounts & other non-school/work related things
Add an email sign off “signature.”
Check your spam once in a while. Sometimes important emails can end up in there.
Calendar
Download calendar app on your phone
Turn on notifications & set reminders for each event (10 mins, 1 hr, 1 day)
Set reminders for when to leave your home (“leave in 10 mins”)
People send calendar invites for meetings and events, usually using Google Calendar
Put your entire schedule on your calendar and color code
Block off time for studying, working out, going on walks, working on hobby, etc.
Example: (6-7pm: Go on a walk)
Time management:
Pomodoro technique: Work for 25 mins, break for 5 mins (use any other variation that works for you)
Force yourself to focus on a single task during those 25 mins
Physically/In-person
If studying/working virtually: Change into outside clothes during school hours
Block off some time to go outside
Add 15 mins to your travel time
3pm → 2:45pm
You won’t have every class every day in college. Organize your binders/notebooks accordingly so you don’t have to carry all your textbooks and notebooks every day.
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